Note: CALS Global Fellows internship opportunities will be remote for the summer 2021 experience. This is our second year of connecting our students globally, remotely. Students can anticipate a remote opportunity that engages them with partners abroad, while adding a unique experience to their resume. GFP remains focused on its mission of global connectivity. If you are unsure if a remote internship is the right fit for you, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with the CALS Global Fellows advisor prior to submitting an application.

The CALS Global Fellows Program supports CALS undergraduate students from any major in pursuit of challenging, professionally-focused summer internships and research placements that enhance and complement their career goals and academic progress, while enriching their undergraduate experience with diverse cultural and international immersion. Through key partnerships, the Global Fellows Program provides a platform for students to make positive and definable contributions to global organizations and communities.

Acceptance to the program is competitive and a limited number of students are selected each year. Selected Fellows receive a stipend to offset major expenses.

The program includes three required parts: a pre-engagement portfolio (completed in Canvas), a continuous 7–8-week internship or research placement in an international setting, and a 1-credit post-engagement course in the first 7-weeks of the Fall 2023 semester (ALS/GDEV 3105).

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Open to all majors, though of particular interest to IARD, Development Sociology, possibly Applied Economics and Management, interest in rural development and participatory research

The Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) Information Session:

Were you unable to make the information session on Nov. 16th? We've recorded the audio and video files for you to review. You can access the files in the ERD box folder. Questions? Email us at calsglobalfellows@cornell.edu. 

Placement Opportunities

Placements: 2 

Episcopal Relief & Development, based in New York City, works with Church partners and other local organizations to facilitate healthier, more fulfilling lives in communities struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Our priority areas are women’s empowerment, climate resilience and early childhood development. All of Episcopal Relief & Development’s international development programs seek to mobilize local resources and expertise toward sustainable, community-led programs. In our disaster response and recovery work, we seek to build resilience and reduce risk at every stage. To learn more about our work, you can read the Scoping Study Report of Food Security. 

• Strengthening a systems approach to drought mitigation and livelihood development for small holder farmers in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. The Diocese of Matabeleland’s Development Office is implementing a Drought Resiliency Program in Umguza District in partnership with Episcopal Relief & Development. The program’s strategy is focused on increasing resilience of vulnerable farmers in the face of cyclical drought and environmental degradation by strengthening community- based drought mitigation capacities and livelihood assets through an integrated food systems approach. The aim is to enable farmers to respond, absorb and bounce back from shocks with little long-term impact on their livelihoods. Students will be able to contribute to this work through action-based field research using best practices in testing, demonstrating and shared learning on the key areas of: a) community-based watershed management and natural resources management; b) value addition and marketing for emerging farming and horticulture groups; c) curriculum development for farmer training on horticulture management and marketing; d) strategies for youth inclusion in agriculture. At community level, the students will also work with Agriculture Extension Officers, Contact Farmers, Farming and Horticulture Group Members and Village Resiliency Committees.

  • Desired Qualifications: International work/study/travel experience; Strong desire to work with people from different culture; Willingness to work respectfully with a faith-based organization
  • Preferred Qualifications: Experience with participatory research, adult learning, and training curriculum development highly desired. Technical knowledge related to watershed management (water engineering a plus), rural marketing, value addition (agroeconomics).

We encourage you to apply to your first choice program only. There is a space within the application to indicate if you have a second choice. If you are interested in two opportunities that are very different from one another and would prefer to write two statements of purpose, you may upload both to the same application in ONE document. Make sure they are clearly titled with the correct placement opportunity IF you are writing two statements. For reference, click here to review examples of statements from past participants.    

You may preview the application without starting an application by clicking on the “preview application” button next to the apply button. All applications contain the same questions and all information related to the program can be found within the experience page. There is no additional information within the application.